Quotes CallItOut.comhttp://callitout.com/quotes
Shining A Light On DarknessThu, 13 Aug 2015 00:10:47 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.3Windows 10 Privacy Low, Advertising High Alerthttp://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/windows/751/10-privacy-low-advertising-high/
http://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/windows/751/10-privacy-low-advertising-high/#respondWed, 12 Aug 2015 08:07:04 +0000http://callitout.com/quotes/?p=751Initially ones first thought might be; “the devil is in the details.” First impressions are everything, and getting this free version of Windows could actually cost many people their privacy, if they are not careful. Windows 10 deceptively looks to get over on users in the initial install configuration. Let me explain a little.

After the initial installation is complete, the user is greeted by a configuration page where the user is given 2 choices on how to configure Windows 10. Option #1, (oh so sneaky), is a colorful button that says “Simple & Easy”. Option #2, is below that sneaky button, it’s a little text link that says “customize”. This is the point where Windows 10 will probably get over on many unsuspecting users. Do you think that Microsoft intended it to be this way? LOL!

Well let’s look into the details of this by examining the options available, if one were to click on the little “customize text link”. Pictured below you can see the Customize Settings Personalization setup page. Please note that in the image all the settings have been changed, from ON to OFF!
1. Personalize your speech, typing, and inking input by sending contacts and calendar details, along with other associated input data to Microsoft.

2. Send typing and inking data to Microsoft to improve the recognition and suggestion platform.

3. Let apps use your advertising ID for experiences across apps.

4. Let Windows and apps request your location, including location history, and send Microsoft and trusted partners some location data to improve locations services.
If Microsoft is not trustworthy, what might their trusted partners be like?

Next Page: Again note that 4 out of the 5 options have been turned from ON to OFF!
1. Browser and protection
Use SmartScreen online services to help protect against malicious content and downloads in sites loaded by Windows browsers and Store apps.

2. Use page prediction to improve reading, speed up browsing, and make your overall experience better in Windows browsers. Your browsing data will be sent to Microsoft.

3. Connectivity and error reporting
Automatically connect to suggested open hotspots. Not all networks are secure.

4. Automatically connect to networks shared by your contacts.

5. Send error and diagnostic information to Microsoft.
Do you hear alarm bells going off yet? If the initial setup is configured deceptively, one might wonder what other areas of the program are up to. Did you notice how many of these Windows 10 options are sending data or information to Microsoft? If you do not click the customize link, but instead click the colorful “Simple & Easy” button, how do you think your privacy might end up?

It seems that this may just be the tip of the iceberg. Once you finally get to the Windows 10 desktop there is another world to discover which is full of advertising and other gotchas. What is the deal with all this, one might ask? Apparently Windows is no longer lucrative for Microsoft, with most installs coming on new devices. So Microsoft has decided to venture into different realms, to sell apps among other things, and to get users to the Microsoft websites to increase their web presence as well as marketing capabilities.

Spyware has hit a new plateau, however, if you have already installed Windows 10 you can still change the Windows 10 privacy options settings. Open the Start menu and select ‘Settings’, Then Click or Tap ‘Privacy’. This will bring you to the ‘Change privacy options’ settings configuration page.
From here you can begin to get your privacy back, but please note that after the general privacy settings, there are location settings, camera settings, microphone settings, and many more! Oh joy, what a grand list of features to explore. It would be wise to for you to personally check these settings individually, so that you know what is going on behind your monitors screen!

Oh, and by the way, for Hotmail, MSN, & Outlook users, your email preferences are already being determined for you by “SmartScreen”. Microsoft is choosing what they feel you want to read, or what they want you to read. I wonder, which one might that be? They then put all the other email in the spam folder, which is not really spam, it’s now manipulated email with some spam mixed in.

]]>http://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/windows/751/10-privacy-low-advertising-high/feed/0Water Saving Tips & Ways To Conserve Waterhttp://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/save-money/726/water-saving-conservation-tips/
http://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/save-money/726/water-saving-conservation-tips/#respondFri, 10 Jul 2015 21:39:47 +0000http://callitout.com/quotes/?p=726With all the water off in your home, watch the water meter triangle for movement, any movement indicates water usage and thus possible leakage. The water meter is generally in the front of the house and the lid can be lifted easily with a screwdriver.

Test and check your irrigation systems for any leaks.

Cut down on your showering time.

Use a low flow shower head, (some have lower flow, but compensate with higher pressure).

Use a shower head with a shutoff valve, (this coincides with the low flow showerhead above).

Buy a dual flush toilet or install a dual flush system in your toilet tank.

Watch This Water Saving Conservation Video:

Toilets are notorious water wasters, make sure they are not running or leaking. Pour some colored food dye in the tank and look in the bowl for signs of leakage. Give this at least ten minutes before considering it “good”.

Turn off the water while washing your hands, or while washing your hair.

When shaving, fill the sink with water rather than letting the water run.

When washing dishes by hand, fill the sinks with water to avoid having the faucet on constantly.

Use the shorter wash cycle modes for dish washers and washing machines.

Always use a hose nozzle to turn off the water at the end of your water hose.

Wash your vehicle at a car wash that recycles water.

Use drip systems to irrigate your plants.

Channel your water from rain gutters to plants and vegetation.

Use 5 gallon buckets to catch rain water for other usages.

Share this page with friends and job associates! Like it on Facebook, Tweet it on Twitter, or email it from the button on the upper right of the page. AND embed the video from here

]]>http://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/save-money/726/water-saving-conservation-tips/feed/0Refrigerator LED Light Bulb, SEE HERE!http://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/fix-repair/688/refrigerator-led-light-bulb/
http://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/fix-repair/688/refrigerator-led-light-bulb/#respondWed, 05 Nov 2014 23:56:56 +0000http://callitout.com/quotes/?p=688You just did a search to find a LED light bulb for your refrigerator and you ended up finding a LED bulb that someone may be advertising as a refrigerator LED light bulb, but it does not say any such thing on the packaging. The incandescent bulbs you previously used would specifically say appliance bulb on the packaging. The packaging would also supply acceptable applications for the bulb, such as the refrigerator or perhaps the oven.

Most of what you will find available in LED bulbs are not specifically labeled refrigerator LED light bulb or appliance bulb. Most simply give a vague usage application for “ceiling fans” or household applications. So is this the testing phase where manufacturers avoid being accountable for any problematic issues by avoiding more specific labeling? It makes one wonder.

If you are really set on using a LED light bulb for your refrigerator, proceed with caution. Check the labels intently for pertinent information regarding the possible applications for the LED light bulb. You are basically out on your own limb unless you find one that says it is approved for refrigerators, good luck with that.

Recently I inquired about a LED light bulb that caught my eye at Lowes. The size was small and compact, like that of a bulb that would fit the refrigerator application. Since I had a gift card I was actually ok with the $11 dollar price tag, I simply needed to know if the bulb was approved for damp locations. The problem for me though was that I could not read the fine print, that these days seems to be getting finer and finer. So I asked a young store associate to check it, and she told me that it did say that the bulb was approved for damp locations.
So I went ahead and purchased the bulb to initiate my own personal refrigerator LED light bulb test. The clear LED bulb, pictured above, claims to be a 40w replacement that uses 4.8 watts of electricity with 300 lumens and a rating for some 30,000 hours. The packaging supplies an estimated energy cost of $0.58 per year based on 3 hours a day of usage at 11 cents a kilowatt. For that same 3 hours a day, it gives an expected life usage of 27.4 years.

I did double check the packaging’s caution information, where it states it is only for 120 volt 60hz circuits. But continues on to state that the bulb is “suitable for damp locations”. It also states that it may not be compatible with all dimmers, although it claims to be dimmable. The warranty on this 40 watt LED replacement bulb is for 3 years, and it clearly states on the package; “If it fails or you are not satisfied with it’s performance, return to store for a replacement”. It goes on to state under the warranty information that “This replacement is the sole remedy available and liability for incidental or consequential damage is expressly excluded. So the manufacturer will replace the light bulb but does not want to be held accountable to the point of actually being liable. So what else is new these days?

As of this posting the LED bulb has been in service for about 2 weeks without issue. I had previously used 25 watt appliance bulbs, so the output of light is actually quite pleasing, it’s much more than I am used to. Should the bulb last half as long as it is rated for, it will certainly outlast the life of the refrigerator and pay for itself. Should it fail for whatever reason I will update this article with the necessary information.

Update: After 8 months of usage, this led bulb has shined brilliantly with no problems whatsoever!

]]>http://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/fix-repair/688/refrigerator-led-light-bulb/feed/0Minitool Failed to Load Disk Access Driver -Fixedhttp://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/fix-repair/662/minitool-failed-load/
http://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/fix-repair/662/minitool-failed-load/#respondTue, 23 Sep 2014 07:45:28 +0000http://callitout.com/quotes/?p=662Imagine my surprise when the Minitool Partition Wizard generated an error message after being so steadfast and productive. I simply could not believe it since it was on a new install of windows 7, which was on a new computer. I actually wanted a resolution, not a replacement. So I ventured onto the web looking for answers, doing a google search for “Minitool partition wizard failed to load disk access driver. Please try to launch Minitool Partition Wizard again”. I found many possible answers, but initially most people said that they had uninstalled the Minitool Partition Wizard program, and then reinstalled it to no avail. Well, that at least saved me some wasted effort and time.

I then got hopeful when I read in a couple of different places where people were suggesting to “run the program as administrator”. So I went to the file directory where the minitool partition wizard .exe file was located and right clicked it. Seeing that the check box to run the program as administrator was not checked, I got my hopes up, I checked the box and applied it. I then closed the dialog box and again tried to load the minitool partition program, and again I got the error: “Minitool partition wizard failed to load disk access driver. Please try to launch Minitool Partition Wizard again”. Utter disappointment!

The next thing I read was how one person simply installed a different program, one that I had used before, but was not quite as capable as Minitool is. So I sighed and continued my search, when I came across a article that was talking about checking drivers. Then a big bell went off in my head, I had disabled some drivers by using the program Autoruns. Could it be that I shot myself in my own foot?

So I quickly went to the Autoruns program and enabled a driver “vsmraid”, which I had disabled and restarted my machine. Well that did not work either, so I loaded Autoruns again. At that point I only had two drivers that were left unchecked, mainly because they were highlighted in pink and did not appear to have a source. But I figured I should follow through and positively determine if they had any affect on the Minitool partition wizard error.

Next, I checked the bottom box of the two drivers, “pwdspio”, and then unchecked the box for vsmraid and restarted my computer. My next attempt to load minitool was again a failure. I then unchecked pwdspio and checked pwdrvio and rebooted my PC. Guess what? No cigar, again I got that annoying Minitool partition wizard error. So that left me with a couple of other possibilities, I checked driver box for pwdrvio.sys & pwdspio.sys and restarted windows. See the snapshot of the Autoruns program where the listing was for these two drivers below:

After restarting my computer I attempted to load Minitool, and whoo-lah, Houston we have lift off! Based upon the method of singling out the possibilities, I was able to determine that I needed both pwdrvio.sys & pwdspio.sys drivers, but did not require the vsmraid driver, which in this case was a via raid driver for AMD, not for the Intel in my machine.

In conclusion, my Minitool partition wizard error is now resolved. If you did not use Autoruns, I would suggest you download and install it, just so you can take advantage of it’s features. Initially you could check out the drivers that are set to run at startup, and see if the pwdrvio.sys & pwdspio.sys drivers are listed and if they are checked. If they are not checked, you know what to do.

]]>http://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/fix-repair/662/minitool-failed-load/feed/0Acne Out 4 Cheap, Clean Zits, X Acne & Clear Pimpleshttp://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/medical-health/660/acne-out-cheap-zit-removal/
http://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/medical-health/660/acne-out-cheap-zit-removal/#respondMon, 01 Sep 2014 23:01:23 +0000http://callitout.com/quotes/?p=660You see the advertisements all the time, you can clear out acne, X out zits, & remove pimples with so many acne treatment solutions that it gets to be a chore just to decide on a acne removal remedy. I would like to suggest that you get to the basics of acne resolutions. Start by getting and understanding what acne is and how those zits are formed on your face. Armed with this knowledge you can now take your stance against pimples.

If you are a teenager, chances are pretty good that you have had some zits. Nearly 8 in 10 teens have acne, as well as many adults. So before you go putting egg on your face or making an oatmeal mask, first consider the source issue with acne. Pores become clogged if there is too much sebum, (an oil that lubricates your hair and skin), and too many dead skin cells. Bacteria, (especially propionibacterium acnes), can then get trapped inside the pores and multiply, causing swelling and redness, this is the root acne issue.

A whitehead occurs if a pore gets clogged up and closes, then bulges out from the skin. A blackhead occurs if a pore gets clogged up but stays open, allowing the top surface to darken. Often times the wall of the pore opens, allowing bacteria to make their way under the skin, which produces red bump called a pimple. Pimples are pus-filled infected lumps on the skin from the body’s reaction to the bacterial infection. When clogged pores open up very deep in the skin, it can cause nodules, which are infected lumps or cysts that are larger than pimples and can be painful. Periodically, large cysts that seem like acne may be boils caused by staph infections.

So how can you prevent zits and X Out acne? Choosing the right cleanser can help rid your skin of the bacteria that make their way into clogged hair follicles and lead to breakouts. Look at what the acne manufacturers are using in their medicated acne cleansers. Here you will discover 2 main ingredients, which vary depending on the manufacturer. Acne fighting cleansers use ingredients such as salicylic acid, which helps to keep the pores open, thus attempting to prevent clogged pores from occurring. Personally, I found that salicylic acid was ineffective for resolving my acne problem. Which leads me the the medicated acne ingredient that you will find in a large number of zit remedies or acne treatments.

Drum role please! This is the main ingredient that you need to know when considering ways to X Out acne. It’s benzoyl peroxide, because it exfoliates the skin and kills bacteria. As stated above you will find benzoyl peroxide in many medical acne cleansers. Now you can pay whatever you wish for any of those acne removal products that contain the very same active ingredient, or you can look at your alternatives.

It is important to consider some necessary acne removal factors, such as washing your hair, (to keep your hair free of dirt and oils), cleaning your hands regularly, (because you are always touching your face), and cleansing your face often. You also do not wish to damage your skin, so you might inquire about acne treatments and skin care with a dermatologist. But just to give you some insight, you can easily obtain a medicated bar of soap for removing acne, (such as a generic variety), that contains benzoyl peroxide for about $6 at your local walmart. It’s your skin, your money, and your zits, just consider informing yourself by comparing the active ingredients between the various medical pimple treatments.

After washing, you might consider using a moisturizer that will prevent your skin from dehydrating. This is especially true if you’re using an acne treatment that tends to dry the skin, such as benzoyl peroxide. There you have it, acne removal on the cheap!

]]>http://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/medical-health/660/acne-out-cheap-zit-removal/feed/0500 Internal Server Error Squirrelmail, Horde Webmail On Loginhttp://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/fix-repair/647/500-error-squirrelmail-horde/
http://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/fix-repair/647/500-error-squirrelmail-horde/#respondTue, 19 Aug 2014 08:44:00 +0000http://callitout.com/quotes/?p=647You are cruising along and everything is working fine when suddenly you attempt to login to an email account via squirrelmail, horde, webmail, or roundcube and you are getting a 500 internal server error message. Your email client is suddenly not working and you need to access your email, so you do a web search for squirrelmail 500 internal server error, or something of that nature which is associated with cpanel webmail.

First, settle down it may be a simple resolution. If you have more than 1 email account on the domain that is showing the server error message, try logging into other accounts to see if it is an isolated issue with one horde, squirrelmail, webmail, or roundcube account. Many people have found that it’s only one email address or it is limited to specific mailboxes. You could also attempt to login to a different domains email account. Determining these factors could significantly assist in determining the issue with why the server denied access to the webmail account.

I had this problem myself and the web was full of some helpful ideas, suggestions, and possible fixs for my logging into email conundrum. The first thing I did was restart my server, without thinking about the issue or doing any investigating. When the restart failed I decided to check another account on the same domain. No problem, I logged right into squirrelmail webmail without issue.

I was in the middle of watching a game that was a half-time when I discovered this issue. So after seeing that the login error was limited to a single squirrelmail email account, I went back to the game. Sometimes it’s good to move away from an issue a bit and give time for logic to smack one upside the head!

Suddenly I recalled the mention of cPHulk in one of the descriptions from the search results. I did another search and found that cPHulk brute force detection could lockout, or otherwise prevent login to an cpanel webmail account that some hacker had recently attempted to login to. This is one function that it is set up to protect.

So I return to my computer and login to my WHM server account. I go to security and then cPHulk brute force detection and click on the logs tab so I can see all the recent attempts of logging into webmail accounts. I discover that yes there were some recent attempts thwarted by cPHulk. Then the big key rang out like a bell, at the bottom, where the most recent login attempts were logged, there was no IP address associated. In looking at the times I realized that those log listings were my attempts as I had whitelisted my IP with cPHulk previously.

The 500 error code coming from the server on my email login attempts was due to the fact that the squirrelmail webmail account was locked by cPHulk brute force detection. Now for the fix, I quickly copied the log files to a spreadsheet so I could keep the IP addresses of all those infringements. I removed all but the IP addresses and then saved the file as a text file. I then copied those IP addresses and pasted them into my current cPHulk brute force detection blacklist and saved it. This was to block out the current webmail account offenders as well as others.

Finally the last stage of the fix for the 500 internal server error for cpanel webmail. This fix required one click, it simply required a flushing of the cPHulk logs from within the WHM control panel, done. Of course, I went back and checked the squirrelmail user account that I received the 500 internal server error code from, and wah lah, my webmail account issues were resolved. I hope this will assist some folks out there in obtaining fixes for the 500 internal server error message when trying to log into any cpanel webmail accounts such as roundcube webmail, horde, or squirrelmail.

]]>http://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/fix-repair/647/500-error-squirrelmail-horde/feed/0Remove Junk Files, Clean Bloatware, Clear Malware, PC Spyware Safely For Freehttp://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/fix-repair/624/safe-remove-clean-pc-junk/
http://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/fix-repair/624/safe-remove-clean-pc-junk/#commentsThu, 14 Aug 2014 11:16:03 +0000http://callitout.com/quotes/?p=624WARNING, there are many articles on the web that will tell you how to clean up your pc. Many offer free cleaners for malware, spyware, bloatware, and junk files that are helpful and safe, but some will just recommend more software that is full of adware, viruses, & malicious software. Some will install and do absolutely nothing until activated with cash or until you agree to install some other unwanted junk. So watch out for SCAM-WARE, investigate the freeware, and the paid for PC Cleaner Apps!

Word of caution, after investigating and before installing any software you might consider doing a registry backup and a system backup ti be safe, just in case you run into any problems. Understand that the programs you use are done at your own risk. Otherwise here is a list of programs that I found helpful in cleaning up my computer.

VirusTotal is a free ONLINE service, (owned by Google), that scans and analyzes suspicious files and URLs with multiple antivirus programs, it renders quick detection of viruses, worms, trojans, and all kinds of malware. Tens of thousands of users in Norton’s community have used this program and rate it as safe.

Malwarebytes is a well known free anti-malware software uses advanced technology to scan, detect, and remove worms, trojans, spyware, rootkits, dialers, rogues, and other junkware.

CCleaner is a free junk cleaner software utility that helps you to keep your PC system clean and optimized. CCleaner provides useful tools for flushing out your temporary files, cleaning up the PC registry, and removing unused cookies from your browser. This handy little program will clear out junk that the windows system cleaner does not find. Proceed with caution, the registry cleaner will give you the option to do a registry backup prior to scanning, this is highly advisable! You should also save it to a location where you can easily access it should you run into difficulties. You could save the file as “registry-backup” directly on your “C” drive for easily locating, (just a suggestion).

Autoruns is a startup configuration utility that will scan your system for programs that are run and loaded during your PC’s system bootup cycle process. It gives you options as to what programs you might not wish to include during your computers startup cycle. This can be helpful in speeding up your laptop or pc by avoiding autoloading programs such as Reader. Many of these boot up programs take up start up time and system resources to run. Proceed with caution, after the first initial scan, click on options from the menu bar and then click on hide Microsoft entries, then rescan. One recommendation would be to only change or otherwise remove start up function options one at a time, just to be safe. In this manner you can test to be sure you have made safe adjustments.

Once you have completed using Autoruns for your computers start up procedure, you might consider running the registry cleaner aspect one more time just to back up your registry again with your safe and preferred boot time configuration

Spybot Search & Destroy, install and run only after you have done any registry cleaning with CCleaner and/or computer startup program choices with Autoruns, as Spybot will protect your system from registry changes which CCleaner registry cleaner and Autoruns will do.

I will address antivirus programs, both free and paid for in another article. Until then, hope your computing is safe!

]]>http://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/fix-repair/624/safe-remove-clean-pc-junk/feed/3HP 7410 Printer Won't Boot Up, Stuck In Software Boot Cycle Fixhttp://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/kick-it-to-the-curb/68/printer-wont-boot-up-start-cycle/
http://callitout.com/quotes/index.php/kick-it-to-the-curb/68/printer-wont-boot-up-start-cycle/#commentsThu, 07 Aug 2014 09:53:19 +0000http://callitout.com/quotes/?p=68If you are reading this it is because you have just joined the HP 7410 printer stuck on stupid club! Your printer is on an endless start up cycle where you just watch the screen bar continuously doing the same thing and you can not use your 7410 printer. You may have already tried rebooting it to no avail, and you may also have tried resetting it with the same stuck on stupid results. And perhaps like some, you may have gone to the HP website for technical assistance, went through a set of printer troubleshooting annoyances only to end up with HP offering you a refurbished HP 7410 all in one printer for $200! I wonder is HP offering to sell us a unit that they repaired, that has the same defective flaw as the printer that we already have? Could this be a means where they are attempting to capitalize on their failure by charging people two hundred dollars for something that they know has lemon like behavior?

Fix for HP 7410 that will not Boot, stuck in start up mode, seems frozen!

There is one drawback to this work around fix, and that is that your 7410 all in one printer will not have wireless functionality. So if you are able to use the USB or Network connections to connect your printer, (or if you already are), then this little trick will relief some undue stress for you. Should you decide to do this yourself, make sure for your own SAFETY that you UNPLUG the printer unit before attempting to do any servicing.

1. Turn the 7410 all in one printer unit around so it is facing you.
2. Remove the black paper feeder from the back of the printing machine by pressing in on the tabs on either side and pulling away from the machine. See the figure below of the back of the 7410 printer:

3. Remove the two silver screws, (circled in neon green, in the figure below), holding this back panel piece on. Then with the two screws removed, push upwards on the piece to unlock it from the printer and then remove it.

4. With this back panel piece removed, look to the upper left side of this diagram below:

5. Zoom your focus into the area in the illustration below, pay attention to the area where the green arrow is pointing. The wire you want to unplug is the one nearest the TOP of the board and SECOND in from the back of the printer. (I actually used a pair of needle nose pliers to grab the white portion of the connector and pulled it outward to remove it from the main board.)

6. If you have some question as to what wire it is, look a the picture below, the wire's connector head is rather small, has 6 wires, covered with black plastic sheath, located BEHIND the first (larger) plug in the upper left hand corner, as you look at it from the back.

7. Once you have removed the wire simply tuck it away from any electrical connections, you could also choose to tape it up with some electrical tape before doing so. Reinstall the HP 7410 all in one printer parts in reverse order. Plug in all your printer connections and then power up the 7410 printer again. I gave my printer about a minute before I started to hear some life coming out of it, and in short order it fully booted up to the normal software booted printing position. In testing it I found that all the functions, (printing, copies, scanning, and faxing), where once again working.

Pictured above, a sentry safe that failed to open after the combination numbers were pushed and the little plastic piece that disabled it.
So I called the sentry safe company, (800-828-1438), and waited for about 10 minutes to speak to a representative, (that was alright since I have a speaker phone). The first thing they asked me was about the condition of the batteries. I told them that they were brand new. The person then asked about the brand name and expiration date of the batteries. They were generic batteries, but the expiration date was fine. They suggested a new set of batteries, and mentioned that I could bypass the battery pack, (which sometimes fails), by unplugging the pack and using a regular 9 volt battery.. So just to cover the base, I went down to the store and obtained a brand new 9 volt duracell battery. I unplugged the battery pack and plugged in my new battery. I then pushed the combination numbers and my safe again failed to open.

I called the sentry company back using my speakerphone feature again while waiting to speak with a technician. The tech asked me about the batteries and I told him it had a new 9 volt at the last technician's recommendation. The person began to talk about the actuator cylinder inside the safe, stating that it did not sound like it was actuating. Then they told me something that really made me wonder about the quality of this safe. They told me I would need to hit the safe with a rubber mallet in an attempt to get the actuator to engage so I could open the sentry safe. OK, so the safe is supposively built to keep my belongings safe from thieves and fire, but now I am going to fix it with a rubber mallet? Good thing my sentry safe was inside, somebody might have wondered about my mental state if they had seen me beating this fireproof safe with a rubber mallet! (PS: If you use the rubber mallet option or any other suggestions that sentry's customer assistance supplied, and have firearms or dynamite in your safe, you do so at your own risk, use wise judgement for your own safety)

Well it just so happens that I had a rubber mallet and did not need to once again go to the store to get something to personally fix my great sentry fireproof safe. So I begin beating the upper middle door area of the sentry safe with this mallet and then tried the combination again. Woolah, It opened! I stopped for a moment and began to ponder how many other things I could fix with this magical rubber mallet. I mean, what about the TV, the computer, my fridgerator and that cell phone that always drops calls? Could it be that I have discovered the fix all to all mechanical issues? As I began to look at my belongings in my fireproof safe that I have just opened with a rubber mallet, I thought "so if I close the safes door will I need a sledge hammer next time"?

Time for another phone call, back to the speakerphone. The technician this time listened to my issue and asked me if I had some lubricant like WD-40 with a small tube that attaches to nozzle. I thought, "well of course I do, I was just using that to fix the broken water pipe in the garage." The phone tech tells me where to spray the lubricant on the inside of the sentry safe door. He has me do this in the open and closed combination positions, and it's now opening when I press the combination numbers with the door open, hurray! The only problem is that after working in the lubricant a few times the handle on the door does not lock into the locked position. I no longer need the combination to unlock my safe, I only need a can of lubricant! OK, this is one really tough safe, what thief would ever think that they would need a rubber mallet and a can of silicon lubricant to open up a safe?

Back to the speakerphone, this time a lady technician. She wants me to get a screwdriver and pry off the plastic piece on the back side of the door. At this point I said to her, you have built a product that I need to have a rubber mallet, a can of 3 in 1 spray lubricant, and a screwdriver to open? She stated that she was doing all she could to help me fix my safe and asked me how long I had owned the safe. I told her about 2 years and she stated that it was out of warranty. I thought, well who needs a warranty when they have a magical mallet, a can of black led, and a screwdriver? Anyway she directs me to pry the plastic backing off of the door and when I do this little piece of plastic falls out onto the floor. I look at this little plastic piece pondering in my mind, what's it's part in all of this. Well the technician is directing me to look at the arms and gears and some arrows that line up between the metal arms and plastic gears. What's wrong with that picture? Metal and plastic don't really work together long before the plastic breaks. I had to wonder for a moment, is this some really expensive fireproof plastic? The arrows line up and with that information she directs me to the area of the actuator again, she says "you see the circuit board" and a little white button that sticks out from it?" I said well yes, I see the circuit board and the little white button you are talking about seems to be laying on the floor broken off. So I picked it up and said, "this little broken piece of plastic that connects to the metal arm on the safe is why the safe does not work right?" She tells me yes that's the problem, that i have broken it and since it's out of warranty that there is nothing she can do to help me. But she then asks me to hold on for a moment…..

She comes back to the phone sounding sincere, like she has just solved all my problems, and tells me that she has spoke to her supervisor and that they can offer me 10% off on any safe that I would like to purchase. I thought what great customer service, now they want to sell me another safe with metal and plastic pieces that break and give me a huge discount of 10%, and I bet it comes with a free maintenance kit which includes a polo stick, some lard oil, and a screwdriver on the rocks! Needless to say I declined their gracious offer.

I will say that all the organizations personnel, (that I spoke with), were courteous and trying to be helpful, (that was within the realm of authority they were given). With a product such as this, and the great customer service I experienced, I thought it was probably best to find a safe that was free of little plastic pieces that break off, cause those plastic pieces won't save you 10% !

A side note, recently I have received a couple of comments from someone who apparently holds stock in this company. He is trying to say that it's a fire safe and it's only supposed to protect your goods from fire. My first thought about that was; HELLO? Why would they put a key lock and combination lock on it then? I mean, are the locking mechanisms solely for the purpose of keeping the fire out of the safe? Then I thought some more, if this safe was in a fire, it would get hot, because it's not like a freezer inside, well except for those plastic parts and the plastic liner around the inside and around the door. What do you suppose might happen to those in a fire? I seen a stove recently that had some plastic on the door of the oven, high temperature resistant or not, it was melted.

4th Place, 100% Green Energy Web Hosting , a web hosting service that is powered by 100% renewable energy sources, currently starting at $3.95 per month. They offer unlimited web hosting, unlimited data transfer, unlimited domains, and mobile websites with a free setup. Included in this cheap hosting plan is over $500 in free extras, “woo-hoo”, and spanish web hosting plans in espanol, (Hospedaje web ilimitado).

Rounding out the top 5 web hosts is Little Oak – Small business web hosting you can trust, a Mac-Friendly web hosting service that includes RapidWeaver web hosting and 24×7 U.S.A. technical support. Their cheap hosting package price starts at $80 a YEAR, which is $6.67 dollars a month. Located in Torrance, California this is a family owned business where you can host your Apple iWeb site, which just for Mac users!

I do have personal experiences with 3 out of the top 5 web hosts listed, and the web site you are on right now is hosted by one of those top five web hosts. So Yes, there is a reason why I have listed these cheap web hosting services in condescending order. Of the 3 web host services that I have used, I can say that all of them supplied good technical support, which is a big deal with any web hosting plan. I hope this proves beneficial for you and that your experiences are at least as good as mine.